Basic esters and salts thereof



imme- BVASIC ESTERS AND SALTS THEREOF Minoo Dossabhoy Mehta, Kensington, London, and David Maxwell Brown, Betchworth, England, assignors to Beecham Research Laboratories Limited, Betchworth, urrey, England, a British company No Drawing. Application December 3, 1957 Serial No. 700,293

Claims priority, application Great Britain 7 December 7, 1956 6 Claims. (Cl. 260-3263) This invention relates to basic esters and acid addition salts thereof.

According to the present invention it has been found that certain novel basic esters and acid addition salts thereof have a high local anaesthetic activity, which is in some instances as much'as 25 to 35 times as great as procaine hydrochloride.

The novel compounds of the present invention are compounds of the general formula: 1 i

R X I R2 where R is a phenyl group and R is a phenyl or cyclohexyl group, or R and R are together the residue of a fiuorene or xanthene ring system; R is hydrogen or an alkyl group having not more than four carbon atoms; R is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; X is a ,hydroxyl group or an atom of hydrogen and n is 2, 3 or 4, and acid addition salts thereof.

Since the compounds of the present invention contain at least one asymmetric centre they can exist in at least two optically active forms and the present invention extends to those optically active forms as'well as to the racernic forms.

Compounds of this invention which are of considerable interest on account of their value as local anaesthetics are those of the general formula:

Flt I C-COO-(CHzLu R /l N Ph X l R (H) where Ph is a phenyl group, R is a hydrogen atom or an allcyl group having not more than'fourcarbon atoms; R is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and n is 2 or 3 and their acid addition salts.

The compounds of this invention which are of particular interest are those of the general Formula II above were R is an alkyl group having not more than 4 carbon atoms (especially a methyl, ethyl or n-propyl group), R is a hydrogen atom'and -n" is 2 or 3. Four compounds included in this latter group are given below together with values of their actvity as local anaesthetics compared with procaine hydrochloride as unity.

Compound: Activity [3-(1-ethyl-2 pyrrolidyl)ethyl benzilate hydrochloride. 26.0 B (1:5 -dimethyl 2-pyrrolidyl) ethyl benzilate hydrochloride 28.0 13 (1 n propyl-2-pyrrollidyl)ethyl benzilate hydrochloride 36.0 'y-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidyl)propyl benzilate hydrochloride .7..- .V V. 29.0

nited States Patent The compounds of the present invention are also useful as intermediates for the production of the basic esters of our copending United Kingdom application No. 1022/57.

The present invention also includes a process for the preparation of compounds of the general Formula I above in which an alcohol of general formula:

HO- H n R 10 (C t) l N R (In) is esterified with an acid halide of general formula:

(f-COY R X (IV) where R, R R R X and n have the meanings given 0 above and X is an atomof hydrogen, chlorine or bromine and Y is an atom of chlorine or bromine to produce a compound of the general formula:

R 000 CH U 7| 3 2) N R H R X I v R which is treated with a base and, where X is an atom ofchlorine or bromine, is also treated with water. The

compounds of the general Formula V are new compounds.

' The treatment of the halogen compound of the general Formula V with water according to the process of this invention can conveniently be achieved by allowing the halogen compound to stand in water. It has been found in's'everalinstances, including the processes described in Examples 7, 8 and 9 below, that the treatment of a halogen compound of the general Formula V with water 40 can conveniently be achieved by dissolving the halogen compound in water and allowing the resulting solution to stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. It is usually'preferable to treat the halogen compound of the general Formula V first with water to obtain the 5 corresponding hydroxy compound and then to treat the latter with the base. Suitable bases include aqueous solutions of alkalis, for example sodium hydroxide.

The compounds of general Formula I can be obtained alternatively by a process in which an acid of the general formula:

or one of its salts, preferably a salt of an alkali metal,

for example sodium, is'reacted with a compound of the general formula:

0 mourn-i i-Pe N the general Formula I is one in which an esterof general formula:

R (VIII) is reacted with a pyrrolidyl alcohol of general formula;

la (ix) where R, R R R X and n have the meanings given to them above and R is an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and is especially a methyl or ethyl group. The process can be conveniently carried out by heating the ester with an excess of the alcohol. heating is preferably carried out in the presence of a small amount of an alkali metal alkoxide, for example a sodium alkoxide and so arrangedthat the lower alcohol produced in the process distills off as it is produced.

The anion of the salts of this invention can be chosen from any of the usually acceptable anions, for example, halide, sulphate, citrate or tartrate, the choice depending to a large extent upon pharmaceutical convenience and the physical properties which it is desired the salt to possess, for example, stability or solubility. Of course, toxic anions, for example the oxalate ion, should be avoided. Where the salt is an acid addition salt derived from an organic acidit is preferably prepared by.-treating the corresponding free base with th e appropriate organic acid ina suitable solvent. 1

The following examples illustrate the inventions 7,

Example l'.-,8 (1 methyl-Z-pyrrolidyl) ethyl diphenyl- C acetate A solution of 1-methyl-2-(2-hydroxyethyl) pyrrolidine (7.1 g.) in dry benzene cc.) was added dropwise with shaking, to a solution of diphenylacetyl chloride (12.7 g.) in dry benzene (50 cc.), care being taken to keep the temperature of the reaction below 30 C. The whole was then allowed to stand overnight at room temperature. The solvent was removed in vacuo to give a yellow gum which on trituration with dry ether (100 cc.) gave the crude ester hydrochloride as a colourless hygroscopic solid (12.8 g.65%).

This hydrochloride on basification with aqueous 30% potassium hydroxide solution yielded the free baseas an amber-coloured viscous oil, B.P. 165 .C./0.05 mm'. (bath temp. 217 0.), n 1.5521. (Found: C, 77.8; H, 7.7; N, 4.3. C H O N requires: C, 78.0; H, 7.7; N, 4.3%.)

The l-methyl-Z-(2'hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine required for the above and following examples was prepared by the following modifications of known synthetic methods.

Ethyl diazoacetate (35 g.) was added dropwise to a well-stirred mixture of l-methylpyrrole (70 g.) and copper bronze (3 g.) heated on a steam bath. The internal temperature of the reaction mixture was maintained at 95-100" C. and after the addition was complete the whole was heated on the steam bath for a further ten minutes and then filtered. The filtrate was then fractionated in vacuo (34 mm.) to give a forerun of lmethylpyrrole (53.2 g.) and then ethyl l-methyl-Z-pyrrylacetate as a pale yellow oil (18 g.), B.P. 84-88 C./3 mm. The yield taking into account the recovered 1- methylpyrrole was 51% (cf. Nenitzescu and Solomonica, Ben, 1931, 64, 1924).

Ethyl l-methyl-Z-pyrrylacetate (50.7 g.) in glacial acetic acid (75 cc.) was hydrogenated at 45 atmospheres at room temperature for 16 hours in the presence of a platinum oxide catalyst. The catalyst was then removed by filtration and the acetic acid was neutralised using aqueous saturated potassium carbonate solution (ca.

The

120 cc.). Potassium acetate separated and sufiicient anhydrous potassium carbonate (66 g.) was added to saturate the aqueous layer. The inorganic material was removed by filtration and washed with ether (4X50 cc.). The filtrate together with the ether washing was separated and the aqueous layer was further extracted with ether (4x250 cc.). The combined ether extracts were dried (MgSO the ether removed by distillation and the residual oil distilled in vacuo, the fraction (35.5 g.), B.P. 64-67 C./ 1.5 mm. being collected. On redistillation ethyl l-nrethyl-Z-pyrrolidyl acetate (34 g.-65%) was obtained as a colourless liquid, B.P. 65-66 C./2.5 mm. 11 1.4464 (cf. Sohl and Shriner, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1933, 55, 3831).

Lithium aluminium hydride (3.5 g.) was added to dry ether (500 cc.) under an atmosphere of nitrogen and a solution of ethyl l-methyl-Z-pyrrolidyl acetate (14.5 g.) in dry ether (50 cc.) was slowly run in with stirring at such a rate that the ether refluxed gently. After complete addition (ca. 0.5 hour), the mixture was refluxed with stirring for 0.5 hour and then cooled to 0 C. The complex was then decomposed by the careful addition of water (18 cc.) the mixture being stirred for 0.5 hour to ensure complete decomposition. The ethereal solution was filtered, the inorganic residue was washed with ether (4 80-cc and the combined filtrate and washings dried (Mgso The ether was removed by distillation and the residue on distillation in vacuo gave l-methyl-Z- (Z-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine (7.1 g.65%) as a colourless liquid, B.P. 67 C/ 1.9 mm. r1 1.4698 (cf. Hess et al., Ben, 1915, 48, 1886).

Example 2.,8- 1 -'m ethyl-Z-pyrrolidyl) ethyl i hydrochloride A solution of ;3-(Lmethyl-Z-pyrrolidyl)ethyl diphenylchloroacetate hydrochloride'(3.45 g.) (prepared as described in Example 12) in Water (70 cc.) was allowed to stand at room temperature for twenty-five minutes. Sodium chloride (24.6 g.) was added and the solution extracted with chloroform (6X40 cc.). The chloroform extracts were dried by means of MgSO and the solvent removed in vacuo when a gum was obtained. The latter on crystallisation from ethanol-ether mixture yielded fl-(l-methyl-Z-pyrrolidyl)ethyl benzilate hydrochloride (1.9 g.--58%) as colourless prisms, M.P. 134 C. (Found: C, 66.9; H, 6.8; N, 4.0. C I-I O NC1 requires: C,'67.1; H, 6.9; N, 3.7%.)

. Treatment of the hydrochloride dissolved in water with aqueous potassium hydroxide gave an oil which rapidly solidified and was collected and crystallised from light petroleum (B.P. 60-80 C.) to give colourless needles of the free base, M.P. 82-83 C. (Found: C, 74.3; H, 7.2; N, 4.2. C H O N requires: C, 74.4; H, 7.4; N, 4.1%.)

Example 3. p-(I-methyl-Z-pyrrolidyl) ethyl-fluorene-9- carboxylate hydrochloride Fluorene-9-carbonyl chloride (8.86 g.) was dissolved in chloroform (60 cc.) and a solution of 1-methy1-2-(2 hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine (5 g.) in chlorofrom was added dropwise with shaking during 05 hour, care being taken to keep the temperature of the reaction below 35 C. After allowing the solution to stand at room temperature for 0.5 hour the solvent was removed in vacuo at a bath temperature not exceeding 40 C. The residual gum was washed with dry ether (2x100 cc.) and on crystallisation from ethanol-ether yielded the hydrochloride of the ester as colourless oblong prisms, M.P. 164 C. (decomp). (The melting point appeared to depend upon the rate of heating.) (Found: C, 69.9; H, 6.6; N, 3.9. C H O NCl requires: C, 70.5; H, 6.7; N, 3.9%.)

18-(1 -methyl-2-pyrrolidyl )ethyl xanthene-9- carboxylate hydrochloride benzilate Example 4.

'4 solution of I-rnethyl-Z-(2-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine 2.3 g.) in dry ether (200 cc.) was added, slowly over 20 1 A solution of phenylcyclohexylglycollic acid (8.9 g.) and 1-methyl-2-(2-chloroethyl)pyrrolidine (7 g. )in isopropanol' (20 cc.) Was'refiuxe'd for 24 hours. The solvent was then removed in vacuo and the residual gum shaken with ether (50 cc.) and dilutehydro'chloric acid"(50fc'c. of 1 N). The aqueous layer was'extracted with ether (2x25 cc.) and the ether extracts discarded. It was then made strongly alkaline using 40% ql ous sodium hydroxide solution, the product extractedwith ether, and the extracts dried (MgSO After removal of the solvent the residual oil gave the ester base as a yellow oil (3.7 g.-44%), B.P. 180 C./0.4 Treatment with ethereal hydrogen chloride gave the hydrochloride which crystallised as clusters of colourless needles, M.P. 175". C. from isopropanol ether. (Found: C. 66.2; H, 8.6; N, 4.0. C H O NCl requires: C, 66.1; H, 8.4; N, 3.7%.)

l-methyl-2-(2-chloroethyl)pyrrolidine was obtained as a. colourless liquid, B.P. 37-38" C./ 1.3 mm. n 1.4512 by the action of thionyl chloride on 1-methyl-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine.

Example 6.-,B-(l-ethyl-Zpyrrolidyl)ethyl diphenyldc'etate' Reaction of 1-ethyl-2-(Z-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine (5 g.) in dry benzene (20 cc.) with diphenylacetyl chloride (8.86 g.) in dry benzene (100 cc.) as in Example l gave a viscous amber-coloured oil (6.5 'g.55%) B.P.

168 C./0.03 mm. 11 1.5511. (Found: C, 78.1;H,

8.0; N, 4.3. C H O N requires: C, 78.4; H, 8.0; N, 4.2%.)

The 1-ethyl-2-(Z-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine was obtained as a colourless liquid, B.P. 88-89 C./4.5 mm. r1 1.4738 as described in Example 1 using l-ethylpyrrole as starting material.

Example 7 8-(] -ethyl-2-pyrr0lidyl )ethyl benzilate hydrochloride A solution of 1-ethyl-2-(2-l1ydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine (5 g.) in dry benzene (20 cc.) was added dropwise with stirring to a solution of u-chlorodiphenylacetyl chloride (10.2 g.) in dry benzene (100 cc.), care being taken to keep the temperature during the addition below 35 C. The reaction mixture was stood overnight at 0 C. and after removal of benzene in vacuo the ester hydrochloride was obtained as a light amber-coloured gum which on refluxing with dry ether (2x 120 cc.) and trituration with dry ether solidified to give the crude hydrochloride (12.4 g.). butanone when the B-( l-ethyl-Z-pyrrolidyl)ethyl diphenylchloroacetate hydrochloride (6.2 g.44%) was obtained as a colourless solid, M.P. 112 C.

fi-(l-ethyl-Z-pyrrolidyl)ethyl benzilate hydrochloride was obtained therefrom by the method used in Example 2as colourless prisms (89%), M.P. 151 C. (Found: C, 68.1; H, 7.3; N, 3.8. C H O NCl requires: C, 67.8; H, 7.2; N, 3.6%.)

Example 8.-,6-(1:5-dimethyl-2-pyrr0lidyl)ethyl benzilate hydrochloride solution of 1:5-dimethyl-Z-(Z-hydroxyethyl) pyrrol- The latter was purified by crystallisation from idine (5.3 g.) in dry ether (100 Co.) was added with stirring to a solution of uechlorodiphenyl acetyl chloride (9.8 g.) in dry ether (300 cc.) 0.5 hour. After allowing to stand overnight at room temperature, the ethereal layer was decanted and the residual gum on trituration with dry ethanol (ca. 20 cc.) solidified and collected. Crystallisation from isopropanol-ether, gave ,3-(1z5-dimethyl-2-pyrrolidyl)ethyl diphenylchloroacetate hydrochloride (3.75 g.) as colourless needles, M.P. 153-155 C., which" when treated with water cc.) as in Example 2 gave ,6-(1:S-dimethyl-Z-pyrrolidyl)ethyl benzilate hydrochloride (3.4 g.- as colourless rods, M.P. 179-180" C. (Found: c, 67.4; H, 7.4; N, 3.5.

C H O NCl requires: C, 67.8; H, 7.2; N, 3.6%.)

The 1:S-dimethyl-Z-(2-hydroxyethyl)p-yrrolidine re- Example 9.-,8-(1-n-propyI-Z-pyrrolidyl) ethyl benzilate A solution of 1-n-propyl-2-(Z-hydroxyethyDPyrrolidine (3.3 g.) in dry benzene (50 cc.) was reacted with q-chlorodiphenylacetyl chloride (5.56 g.) in dry benzene 50 be.) as iri Example 7 to give the gummychloro compound which was hydrolysed with 'water as in Example 2. Treatment of the aqueous solution with sodium hydroxide gave the free base as a viscous yellow oil (3.0 g.42%), B.P. 156-157 "v C./5 1.0f mm. 11 1.5494. (Found: C, 75.2; H, 8.0; N, 4.1. C H 03N requires: C, 75.2; H, 7.9; N, 3.8%.) Ethanolic hydrogen chloride in ethyl acetate. gave a hydrochloride which crystallised from ethylace tate/methanol/ether as colourless needles, M. P. 1 48-1 49-C. (Found; C, 68.1; H, 7.3; CI, 8.7. C H NCl requires: C, 68.4; H, 7.4; Cl, 8.8%.) The 1-n-propyl-2-(Z-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine required in this example was prepared as described in Example 1. using l-n-propylpyrrole as the starting material. It was obtained as a colourless, liquid, B.P. 91 C./1 mm. n 1.4685.

Example 1-0.-fi-(2-pyrrolidyl)ethyl benzilate 1-benzyl-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine (8 g.) was re acted with u-chlorodiphenylacetyl chloride (15.2 g.) in dry chloroform as in Example 7. An aqueous solution of the product was allowed to stand for 1 hour at room temperature and then treated with 40% aqueous sodium hydroxide solution to give the crude fi-(l-benzyl- 2-pyrrolidyl)ethyl benzilate (12.7 g.) as a viscous yellow oil. Hydrogenation of a solution of this material in glacial acetic acid (55 cc.) at an initial pressure of 66 lbs/sq. in., using 10% palladium on charcoal (4 g.) gave fl-(Z-pyrrolidyDethyl benzilate as a colourless solid (3.8 g.38%), M.P. -121 C. crystallisation from petroleum ether (B.P. 80-100 C.) gave colourless prisms, M.P. C. (Found: C, 74.1; H, 7.2; N, 4.4. C H O N requires: C, 73.8; H, 7.0; N, 4.3%.) Ethanolic hydrogen chloride gave a hydrochloride as colourless needles, M.P. 143-144 C. from ethanol/ether. (Found: C, 66.5; H, 7.0; Cl, 9.3. C H O NCl requires: C, 66.4; H, 6.6; Cl, 9.8%.) The 1-benzyl-2- (Z-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine' required for this example was prepared as a colourless oil, B.P. 108110 C./0.25 mm. 11 1.5112 by reacting benzyl bromide with ethyl- Z-pyrrolidyl acetate in toluene in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate. EthyI-Z-pyrrolidyl acetate was obtained as a colourless liquid, B.P. 83-85 C./2.3 mm., n 1.4560 by the hydrogenation of ethyl-2- pyrrolacetate which in its turn was prepared by the action of ethyl diazoacetate on pyrrole, the procedure in both cases being the same as described in Example 1.

Example ]1.'y-(I-methyl-Z-pyrrolidyl)propyl benzilate A solution of 1-methyl-2-(3-hydroxypropyl)pyrrola idin'e (-3g.)'-in dry chloroform (30 cc.) was reacted with u-chlorodiphenylacetyl chloride (6.3 g.) in dry chloroform (80 cc.) asin Example 7. Treatment'of the gummy product as in Example 10 gave 'y-(1-methyl-2- pyrrolidynpropyl be'n'z'ilate"(6.6 g.--88%) as a colourless solid, M.P. 83-84 C. crystallisation from petroleum ether (B.'P.' (SO-80 C.) .gave colourless needles, M.P.'84- C.- (Found! C, 74.9; H, 7.8. C22H2703N re quires: C, 74.8; H, 7.7%.) 'Ethanolic hydrogen chloride gave a'hydrochl'oride as colourless needles, M.P. 122 C. from butanone-petroleum' ether (B.P. 60-80 C.)." (Found: C, 67.6;;H', 7.1; CI, 9.4. C H ONCl requires :"C, 67.8; H 7.2; Cl,'- 9.1% r

The- '1 methyl- 2 (3 hydroxypropyDpyrrolidine required for this example was prepared as a'colourless liquid, B.P.'-101 C./1.-S'mrn., 5 1.4698 by the formic acid/formaldehyde..rnethylation of 2 -(3-hydroxypropyl) pyrrolidine. The latter-intermediate was obtained by the action of lithium alum'inium'hydride on-5-(2-inethox'ycarbonylethyl) -2 -pyrrolidone, a known compound (Leonard et al., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1947, 69', 692) in tetrahydrofuran. It was obtained as a colourless viscous liquid, 13.1. 118 C./4.5 mm. (M.P. ca. 30 C.).

Example 12.-B-(I-methyl-Z-pyrrolidyl) ethyl diphenylchloroacetate hydrochloride A solution of 1-methyl-2-(2-hydroxyethyi)pyrrolidine (4.77 g.) in dry toluene (20 cc.) was added--dropwise with shaking to a solution of a-chlorodiphenylacetyl chloride (9.27 g.) in dry toluene (50cc) at room temperature. The solution became turbid and at the endlof about fifteen minutes, -a heavy oilhad separated out. The toluene layer was decanted and the residual gum washed with more dry toluene (ca. 50 cc.). The combined toluene layers deposited some of the crude hydrochloride, the main crop, howevenbeing obtained from the gum of trituration with dry ethanol (ca. cc.), the total yield being 7.54 g. (55%). This was crystallised-from butanone and was obtained as colourless prisms, M.P. 109-110 C. (Found: C, 63.7; H, 6.7; N, 3.5. C H O NCl requires: C, 63.9; H, 6.3; N, 3.6%.)

8 Whatwe claim is: v 1. A compound selected from the group consisting'jof basic esters of the general formula: 1

. R I l CC0O(0Ha), IR t and non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts thereof, where R is aphenyl group, and R is selected from the group consisting of phenyl and cyclohexyl groups, R and R together being otherwise a residue selected from the group consisting of fluorene and xanthene ringsystems, R is selected from the group consisting of-hydrogen and alkyl groups having less than five carbon atoms, R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and the methyl group, X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and the hydroxyl group and n is an integer of-from 2 to 4 inclusive. j 2. Compounds of the general formula:

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,987,546 Blankart- Jan. 8, 1935 2,394,770 Hill et a1 Feb. 12, 1946 2,399,736 Holmes et al. May 7, 1946 2,695,301 Blicke Nov. 23, 1954 2,844,591 Feldkamp at al. July 22, 1958 

1. A COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF BASIC ESTERS OF THE GENERAL FORMULA: 